Dispensing holder for collapsible tube



July 1966 T. H. MADDEN ETAL 3,

DISPENSING HOLDER FOR COLLAPSIBLE TUBE Filed July 2, 1964 INVENTORS l7 THOMAS H. MADDEN BY DONALD R. DAY

21am $431M,

ATTORNEYS United States Patent DISPENSING HOLDER FOR COLLAPSIBLE TUBE This invention relates to improvements in dispensing deivces and more particularly to a device to discharging materials from collapsible tubes.

Prior proposals for collapsible tube dispensers have usually been constructed from rigid materials often operated by means of complex lever mechanisms. Though intended to avoid it, some proposed constructions were such as to permit the discharge of excess material resulting in waste.

The present invention has overcome the difficulties met both in manual depression of containers and in other previously proposed dispensing structures and methods. One main problem with manual depression and other methods has been the tendency to produce folds in the tube walls which ultimately break open and allow material to be Wasted. Another problem has been the inability to control precisely the amount of material dispensed.

The present invention completely obviates these listed and other disadvantages of prior mechanisms. The device of this invention is constructed from flexible material and in operation does not permit the discharge of excess contents of the tube. This is true because this dispenser serves as a holder for a tube which permits the discharge of the contents of the tube without exceeding the elastic limit of the tube walls in that part of the tube which contains material. Since the elastic limit of the walls is not exceeded, there is control of the amount of material dispensed and the establishment of folds or the like in the tube walls is avoided. In addition the flexible sides of the holder overlie the tube walls and reduce the possibility of punctures, splits, cracks, and the like caused by placing other objects upon the container, by improper manual squeezing, or by dropping the tube.

With the holder hung from a wall or other object, the container is given maximum protection. Further, the holder of this invention can serve as a support for the tube when laid on a shelf or the like and saves space by enabling the tube to stand on its narrow edge.

As suggested above, this dispenser controls the dispensing of viscous orpaste-like material. This control is through a stop-flow action of the dispenser which prevents waste after the user has released the pressure on the tube. Only that volume of material which the user desires will be discharged.

The structure which provides these and other advantages hasan apertured end wall which overlies the end of the tube. A pair of elongated flexible tube compressors are hingedly connected to the end wall overlying the sides of the tube. A dispensing slide is telescoped over the tube compressors and is slidable therealong toward the end wall to selectively compress the tube. The structure is preferably made of polypropylene, or other plastics with similar physical properties, with the end wall and tube compressors integrally formed of a single piece.

Accordingly, the object of this invention is to provide a novel and improved dispensing device for tubes of viscous materials.

Other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the followng description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a front view of the invention, the dashed lines indicating the position of a tube therein;

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FIGURE 2 is a side view taken at right angles to FIGURE 1; and,

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the invention preliminary to contact with the tube walls.

With reference to the drawing, 10 designates an end wall including an aperture 11. The aperture 11 receives a neck 12 of a collapsible tube shown generally at 14. A head part 13 of the tube 14 abuts the end wall 10. The aperture L1 is sized just large enough to receive the neck 12 with cap 15 removed. When the neck 12 projects through the aperture 11, the cap 15 may be replaced on the neck 12 to further secure the tube to the end wall.

A pair of double hinges 16, 17 are connected to the end wall 10. A pair of elongated tube compressors '18, 19 extend from and connect with the double hinges 16, 17, respectively. The hinges 16, 17 are situated on either side of the head part '13 near the ends of the compressors 18, 19. Flat intermediate wall portions 18a, 19a are pivotally connected to the compressors 18, 19 and the end wall 10 at the hinges 16, 17. Preferably, the end wall and-compressors are an integral piece of polypropylene. The hinges and intermediate wall portions are formed by cutting or impressing transverse slits in the polypropylene. Preferably the two hinges of each one of the double hinges 16, 17 are on opposite surfaces of the compressors. As shown, hinges 16a, 17a are nearest the end wall 10 in the inner surface and hinges 16b, 17b in the outer surface. The structure will accommodate tubes of various sizes, since the double hinges 16, 17 need not be situated slightly to the posterior side of head part 13 as shownin FIGURES 1 and 2. The end wall 10 extends from each intermediate wall portion 18a, 19a toward the aperture 11 in directions away from the tube compressors during use so that the hinges are located to the side and to the rear of the neck of the tube 14. v

The compressors 18, 19 are designed to engage opposite sides of the tube 14. The tube compressors 18, 19 include hanger end portions 20, 21 respectively. The hanger end portions 20, 21 substantially abut one another as the tube compressors 18, 19 engage the sides of tube 14. The hanger end portions 20, 21 include apertures 22, 23, respecti-vely. The apertures 22, 23 are adapted to receive a hook or the like for hanging the dispenser to a wall or other object.

A dispensing slide 30 is provided. The slide 30 includes a slit 35 adapted to receive hanger end portions 20, 21 and in addition the collapsed portion of the tube .14.

The walls of the tube 14 are circular or oval near head part 13. These tube walls taper down to a straight edge at end 36 opposite the head part 13.

In operation the cap 15 is removed and the head 12 of the tube is telescoped into place. The cap is then replaced and the compressors are folded until the end portions 20, 21 are in abutment. .The slide 30 is then slid over the end portions. The slide is then moved toward the end wall 10. I

As the dispensing slide 30 is moved along the tube compressors 18, 19, the cross sections of the tube walls are reduced to a straight edge, and material is evacuated from that part of tube 14 over which dispensing slide 30 has passed. Pressure applied to tube compressors 18, 19 by dispensing slide 30 causes the contents of tube 14 to be ejected from neck 12.

Material contained in the tube is usually of such a consistency that it will not freely flow from the tube when it is in an inverted position. Thus, the entire assembly may depend from a hook. When so depending, only one hand is required to move dispensing slide 30 over tube compressors 18, 19.

One of the outstanding advantages of the invention is not readily apparent. As pressure is applied to the sides,

the flexible compressors '18, 19 are straightened somewhat tending to flatten the walls of the tube. The elastic limit of the tube walls is not exceeded, however, and when dispensing pressure is released the walls return to their original shape drawing the viscous material back into the tube. Thus, if an amount of material slightly in excess of the amount desired is forced through the neck, that excess is drawn back into the tube when the dispensing pressure is released.

Although the invention has been described in its preferred form with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure of the preferred form has been made only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without department from the spirit and the scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. A dispenser for a collapsible tube comprising:

(a) a one piece, integrally formed body including:

(i) first and second elongated, flexible, opposed tube compressors including first and second spaced ends;

(ii) said compressors including first and second end portions near the second ends thereof;

(iii) the end portions including inner surfaces adapted to substantially abut one another in tube compressing engagement;

(iv) said portions providing a means for supporting a tube and each including an aperture adapted to receive a hook or the like as a means for supporting said holder from a wall or other object;

(v) an apertured end wall connecting the first ends of said compressors;

(vi) first and second transverse slits near the second ends of the first and second compressors respectively to form hinge connections of the compressors and end walls; and,

('b) a dispensing slide including a slit for receiving said first and second tube compressors and walls of a tube in a collapsed state, said slide being movable longitudinally along tube compressors from the second toward the first ends for causing the discharge of the contents of said tube.

2. The device .of claim 1 wherein pairs of slits are formed near each compressor second end to provide double hinges.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein the slits of each pair are formed on opposite sides of the compressors.

4.- A dispenser for a collapsible tube comprising:

(a) a one-piece, integrally formed body of translucent plastic material including:

(i) first and second elongated, flexible, opposed tube compressors including first and second spaced ends;

(ii) said compressors each having a hanging aperture formed near the second end thereof;

(iii) said hanging apertures being alignable for receiving a hook or the like whereby the dispenser and tube may be hung;

(iv) a flexible end wall connected to the first ends of the tube compressors and maintaining said ends in spaced relationship;

(v) said end walls having a substantially central dispensing aperture for receiving the neck of a tube;

(vi) said tube compressors including first and second transverse slits respectively at the juncture of said first ends of said compressors and said end wall, said slits each forming a hinge for 5 permitting the compressors to be compressed substantially into abutment with the end wall while a tube is held therebetween;

(b) a dispensing slide having walls defining a slit adapted to receive the compressors, said slit walls being closely spaced to engage and compress the tube compressors, said slide being movable from the second to substantially the first ends of said compressors, said slide being maintained in position by friction alone and free of connection with the end wall other than through said compressors whereby on release of compressive expulsion pressure the compressors are free to return to a precompressed condition.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein the material of construction is polypropylene.

6. The device of claim 4 wherein each of the tube compressors includes a second transverse slit near its first end, said second slit providing a double hinge.

7. A dispensing holder for a collapsible tube comprismg:

(a) a tube locating end wall including an aperture for receiving a neck of a tube;

(b) first and second elongated, flexible, opposed tube compressors;

(c) said compressors and end wall being an integral plastic piece;

(d) first and second double hinges connecting said tube compressors with said end wall and being formed by transverse slits in the integral plastic piece and,

(e) a dispensing slide including a slit adapted to receive said tube compressors and walls of a tube in a collapsed state whereby the contents of said tube are caused to be discharged from said tube.

8. A dispensing holder for a collapsible tube compris- (a) first and second elongated, flexible, opposed tube compressors;

(b) a tube locating end wall including an aperture for receiving a neck of a tube;

(0) first and second flat, intermediate wall portions one at each side of the end wall between the end wall and one of said first and second tube compressors and pivotally connected to each of the end wall sides and the associated tube compressor;

(d) said end wall extending from each intermediate wall portions toward the aperture in directions away from the tube compressors during use; and,

(e) a dispensing slide including a slit adapted to receive said tube compressors and walls of a tube in a collapsed state whereby the contents of said tube are caused to be discharged from said tube.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,291,282 7/1942 Hollenbeck 222--103 X 2,689,066 9/1954 Budnik 222l03 2,857,079 10/1958 Hall 222- 103 EVON C. BLUNK, Primary Examiner. LOUIS J. DEMBO, EVERETT W. KIRBY, Examiners.

N, STACK, Assistant Examiner. 

7. A DISPENSING HOLDER FOR A COLLAPSIBLE TUBE COMPRISING: (A) A TUBE LOCATING END WALL INCLUDING AN APERTURE FOR RECEIVING A NECK OF A TUBE; (B) FIRST AND SECOND ELONGATED, FLEXIBLE, OPPOSED TUBE COMPRESSORS; (C) SAID COMPRESSORS AND END WALL BEING AN INTEGRAL PLASTIC PIECE; (D) FIRST AND SECOND DOUBLE HINGES CONNECTING SAID TUBE COMPRESSORS WITH SAID END WALL AND BEING FORMED BY N TRANSVERSE SLITS IN THE INTEGRAL PLASTIC PIECE AND, (E) DISPENSING SLIDE INCLUDING A SLIT ADAPTED TO RECEIVE SAID TUBE WHEREBY THE CONTENTS OF SAID TUBE ARE CAUSED TO BE DISCHARGED FROM SAID TUBE. 